An APN Partner’s Guide to re:Invent 2015

AWS re:Invent 2015 is fast approaching, and we are so excited that we’ll see so many of you there! In addition to an exciting agenda that includes over 250 breakout sessions being offered throughout the week, we have a number of events and options tailored to APN Partners that I’d like to make sure you’re aware of prior to your flight out to Las Vegas.

Global Partner Summit

The Global Partner Summit on Tuesday, Oct. 6th is a chance for you to hear from AWS leadership about the future of the business and the AWS Partner Network (APN). You’ll have the opportunity to learn from the successes of your peers and participate in sessions focused on developing new skills and insights for your growing cloud practice with AWS.

The Global Partner Summit will arm you and your team with content that is tailored to your goals as a Consulting or Technology Partner, focusing on how to drive increasing revenue with cloud-based products and services, gain a greater competitive advantage, and expand your business.

This event is free and exclusive to APN Partners, and will not be available to general attendees.

Summit Agenda

11:00am — 12:30pm: Global Partner Summit Keynote

12:30pm — 1:30pm: Lunch

1:30pm — 2:30pm: Breakout Sessions and Technical Whiteboard Sessions

2:30pm — 2:45pm: Break

2:45pm — 3:45pm: Breakout Sessions and Technical Whiteboard Sessions

3:45pm — 4:00pm: Break

4:00pm — 5:00pm: Breakout Sessions and Technical Whiteboard Sessions

5:00pm — 7:00pm: Welcome Reception (AWS re:Invent Central)

Already Registered for the Summit?

If you’ve already registered for the Global Partner Summit, you can access the Partner Summit Sessions via the re:Invent Session Builder and Catalog. Log in and use your AWS re:Invent credentials to access session information. We’ll be offering 18 breakout sessions tailored to business and technical topics of importance to our ecosystem. Sessions at the event cover a wide range of topics relevant to executives, sales managers, and technical professionals. We encourage all levels and disciplines to attend.

Haven’t Yet Registered for the Summit?

There’s still time, and a limited number of spots left. To register for the Global Partner Summit, be sure to identify yourself as an APN member and use your company email address when updating your AWS re:Invent registration. Admittance will be validated by your company’s email address domain.

AWS Partner Pavilion

Do you have questions about how to work with the APN? Would you like to discuss technical questions with Partner Solutions Architects (SAs)? We encourage you to visit the AWS Partner Pavilion, located at the front of the re:Invent Central Expo Hall, to learn all about how the APN can help you build your business on AWS, interact with members of the APN Program team, SAs, Partner Managers, and Partner Marketing, and to connect with other APN Partners. We’ll have folks from the AWS Test Drive Program and the AWS SaaS Partner Program at the Pavilion all day to answer your questions about their specific programs, so don’t be shy – come stop by!

The AWS Partner Pavilion will open in the re:Invent Central Expo Hall at 5:00 pm on Tuesday, Oct. 6th, and will be open until 6 pm on Thursday, Oct. 8th.

AWS Training and Certification at re:Invent

Becoming AWS Trained and Certified is a crucial step in your APN journey, since it deepens your AWS knowledge and skills and demonstrates to customers your unique expertise. In Las Vegas, you’ll have lots of opportunities for learning something new and add to your AWS credentials. Here are a few recommendations:

Certification Exams, Perks, and Parties

Getting AWS Certified helps you gain visibility and credibility for your proven experience working with AWS, and is a requirement for Consulting Partners to advance in the APN. Our convenient onsite Exam Testing Center is open throughout the week in Casanova 501, making it even easier to come home AWS Certified. Slots are filling up, so register for an exam today.

AWS Certified Partners can also enjoy our AWS Certification Lounge (Level 1 Foyer), a great place to relax and network with other AWS Certified professionals. And don’t miss the special appreciation event we’re throwing for our AWS Certified community on Thursday, Oct. 8th from 5 -7 p.m. RSVP now so you can join the party and meet with AWS executives and technical evangelists.

Bootcamps, Workshops, and Hands-on Labs

We’re teaching more than a dozen technical bootcamps at re:Invent—including some available only to APN Partners. Not sure what to take? A good starting place is the AWS Business and Technical Professional Accreditation bootcamps, since they’re required for APN Consulting Partners to advance in the APN.

If you’re looking for something some more cutting edge, try Mobile Gaming Using AWS Lambda or Creating Applications for Mobile and the Internet of Things (IoT). Browse the complete list of bootcamps.

We’ll also have workshops to help you prep for certification and our hands-on lab room is always a hugely popular draw since it provides free practice with specific AWS services and solutions in a live AWS environment. It’s also free. (Hint: beat the crowds by getting there early or hitting our late night lab session on Tuesday, Oct. 6 from 7-10 p.m.) See the full re:Invent training schedule.

AWS Partner Solutions Explorer

I want to also highlight a great tool and resource that is going to be available at re:Invent – the AWS Partner Solutions Explorer.

The AWS Partner Solutions Explorer is an interactive, self-paced tour of AWS Partner solutions. Based on the user’s needs, the Explorer will search through our database of thousands of AWS Partners and point them to AWS Partners at re:Invent that may be the best fit for them (based upon the AWS Partner’s APN Competencies, AWS Test Drives, AWS Marketplace AMIs, and AWS Quick Start Reference Deployments). If any additional questions arise, users can simply ask one of our AWS experts onsite for assistance. The AWS Partner Solutions Explorer will be located in the Artist Foyer on Level 2, the AWS Partner Pavilion, in the Executive Summit, and in the AWS Booth. Check it out!

Can’t Join Us at AWS re:Invent?

Never fear. We’re going to be live tweeting from the @AWS_Partners Twitter handle throughout the week. In addition, the @AWSreInvent will be live tweeting from the re:Invent keynotes, along with many of the sessions hosted throughout the week, after-hours events, and the expo hall.

We also have a live stream that will include coverage of the following events: